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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23969749">Hunter's Mark</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NocturnalMe/pseuds/NocturnalMe'>NocturnalMe</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Destiny (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Awkward Flirting, Banter, Comedy, First Meetings, How My Guardian Got Himself a Sugar Daddy, M/M, Tumblr Prompt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 17:23:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,548</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23969749</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NocturnalMe/pseuds/NocturnalMe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Fic based on Tumblr Prompt "Bumping into each other" sent me by <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/users/a_cascade">a_cascade</a>.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Male Guardian (Destiny)/Original Male Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Hunter's Mark</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is ANOTHER self-indulgent work sakdjkas how my precious boys met!!! I had fun writing it TwT<br/>Please note that this fic is settled in Destiny 1 during “The Silent Fang” quest. Any plot inconsistency is on me heh.</p>
<p>As always, thanks to <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/users/HelAuditore">@HelAuditore</a> 💖</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The place was a desert. A literal desert, aside from a few arid bushes and trees, the snow glinted under the shy light of the sun. That eerie stillness was interrupted only by some wandering birds, shrieking as they flew high and majestic among threatening clouds. </p>
<p>That was an odd scenario, even for the Cosmodrome. </p>
<p>A chilly breeze ruffled Indrel’s milky hair as he walked along the walls of the structure as stealthy as possible to not alert any enemy, in sight or not. </p>
<p>He brushed a stray lock behind his ear, before tightening his grip around his scout rifle as Nox scanned the area thoroughly. </p>
<p>“I suggest you to be careful.” the Ghost uttered under his static breath, bouncing from the warlock’s shoulder to the other in a swift swing. </p>
<p>Indrel refrained the urge to roll his eyes. Sometimes Nox treated him like a child. He loved his Ghost, he really did, but he couldn’t shake that feeling of being schooled around from time to time. </p>
<p>Instead, he just puffed out a sigh and gave Nox a nod in confirmation. </p>
<p>It was not a casualty that the two of them were there, in Old Russia among all the places. Earlier that day, in fact, the warlock accepted to sort out the bloody diatribe with the House of Wolves on behalf of Petra Venj. They’d met in the Reef, where she asked Indrel to take the Silent Fangs down, Skolas's most lethal fighters. The warlock also promised her to avenge her loss, and Petra said she’d appreciated the gesture, even though it wouldn’t have gotten her eye back, unfortunately. </p>
<p>Before reaching the Cosmodrome, however, Indrel had to sneaked in the narrow tunnels of the Breach, way too familiar by now, just to find them filled with both high ranking enemies and traps. The Fallen had even set up mines, that the warlock had no trouble to trigger from afar without any harm using a combat bow. </p>
<p>That cordial welcome was just the beginning, and the warlock was fully aware of the danger that waited ahead.</p>
<p>A swooshing sound stirred him from his thoughts and he immediately jerked his head up to the sky. </p>
<p>“They’re coming.” Nox warned in an alarmed beep, shifting closer to Indrel’s head. </p>
<p>As soon as the awoken saw a big Fallen spaceship approaching one of the highest hills of the landscape, he took cover behind a rusty hut nearby. And started evaluating his possibilities.</p>
<p>“They are many.” Nox stated matter-of-factly, even if his tone edged on worry. </p>
<p>“I know.” Indrel muttered through clenched teeth, before taking another sneak peek at the battleground.</p>
<p>Dregs, Marauders and Vandals kept falling from the spaceship, together with Shanks and Servitors, quickly scattering around the area, followed suit by several high ranking commanders of the House of Wolves. Some minions hid themselves among the rocks, others got ready for an imminent battle reloading their weapons and sharpening their knives. The scratching noises they emitted echoed in the otherwise empty dale as the Captains barked orders to their troops. </p>
<p>Indrel surely didn’t have the advantage of numbers on his side, but he could work with that. He’d faced toughest enemies before, and could take these Fallen by surprise, playing smarter.</p>
<p>And once his mind was settled, nothing could stop him. Not even his voice of reason, that was his Ghost.</p>
<p>The latter’s sole eye comically widened when he caught a sly smirk curling up his features. </p>
<p>Solar energy already singing in his veins, the warlock let it flow beneath his skin, swirl under his fingertips. His heart was drumming in his ears, erratically, in excitement. </p>
<p>“Indrel.” Nox called him as he gave his Guardian a hard nodge on his temple. He couldn’t really be thinking about doing something as stupid as-</p>
<p>Apparently, he could. </p>
<p>Because the awoken suddenly dashed from behind the crumbling bus stop to his left, aiming for the car wrecks. </p>
<p>“Indrel, wait!” the Ghost yelled in a whisper, then grunted clearly flustered when his Guardian didn’t wait for him. He vanished in a blur of blue just to pop out once again above Indrel’s shoulder.</p>
<p>That reckless motion caused the Fallen to whip their heads simultaneously in his direction, and it didn’t take long before the first shots roared in the air, along with battle cries and screeching noises.</p>
<p>Indrel dodged every bullet, to Nox's incredulity, as he ran to the highest spot, then crouched down behind a car and finished preparing a Fusion Grenade. </p>
<p>The bullets met the rusted frames like a tinkling cascade while Indrel took a deep breath, Nox swaying anxiously next to him. Then, he snapped to his feet, turned to his right and started running towards the enemies.</p>
<p>But as he was about to leap, his foot bumped into… something. Something solid and metallic. And in his way. </p>
<p>The warlock yelped loudly and winced in pain, losing completely his focus on his Light, that wobbled uncontrollably in his hand, before tumbling down unceremoniously on the ground like a ton of bricks. </p>
<p>After that, he heard four noises in sequence, very distinctly despite his ringing ears.</p>
<p>First, a shot. Probably a sniper rifle, given the rumble. A sniper rifle close to where he stood, by the volume of it. </p>
<p>Second, a pained squawk.</p>
<p>Then, a string of swears that he couldn’t make out, the Irish accent too thick to distinguish the words that, Indrel had the weird feeling, were aimed to him. </p>
<p>Lastly, a series of explosions.</p>
<p>The awoken kept tumbling for a few meters, before unwillingly coming to a stop. He didn't have enough time to fully understand what cut his rolling short, just blinked his eyes open to see a pair of legs he recognized not being human-like of any sort, because he then heard another shot and the Fallen Captain that was threatening to slaughter him here and there now laid by his side on the ground, a dark pool of liquid forming under the lifeless body as blood spilled profusely down the hole on the forehead.</p>
<p>A boost of adrenaline helped the warlock to recover fast from the hustle, and he found himself on his shaking legs within seconds before eyeing the surroundings for a new cover. </p>
<p>In that very moment, another sharp sound caught his attention and he darted his gaze to its source. Eyes round and wild, he gaped at the glowing trail of Void energy sprinting past his bewildered self, his head dizzy for the incredible power that raged from that peak of Light. </p>
<p>Mercilessly, his anonymous savior danced among the Fallen, shredding enemy after enemy with an elegance like Indrel had never seen before, the movements so quick yet clear, deliberate. The rustling of the hunter’s cloak blended with the dying gurgles of the Silent Fangs in a macabre symphony.</p>
<p>The awoken didn’t know how long he stood there watching that breathtaking performance of grace and strength, his heart drumming in his chest from other emotions than fear and shock. He felt like he’d been struck by some invisible force that electrified his whole being, and that sensation left him numb in the warmest way. A shiver ran down his spine as he followed the short but mighty figure manoeuvring lethally from a Vandal to a Dreg to a pair of Marauders, jumping then right in front of a Shank that shattered into pieces under a precise jab of one Void knife, before giving the final, mortal blow right in the heart of a Captain.   </p>
<p>Then, his savior disappeared as quickly in a cloud of smoke. </p>
<p>That was Indrel’s cue to finally get back into the game. Now without distraction to keep the enemies occupied, he promptly crouched behind a huge rock long enough to retrieve and reload his sidearm. </p>
<p>Afterwards, the battle was a blurry succession of shots, laying bodies, yells, grunts, explosions and melee hits.  </p>
<p>Once the warlock was back in his tracks, he fought fiercely as ever, alternating his sidearm with the scout rifle, trying to lend a hand to the hunter in the process. But soon the latter found another spot to fire with the sniper rifle, and Indrel was again alone in the middle of the fight. He wasn’t worried, tough, because he still got an ace up his sleeve. </p>
<p>As the minions got decimated by the hunter’s relentless shots, the awoken thought that was the perfect time to get his Light loose and declare the House of Wolves’ defeat. And to do so, he jumped onwards lunging in the air as flames swallowed his entire body. A pair of blazing wings spurted at the level of his shoulder blades as his fingers gripped tight around the hilt of his Solar energy sword. </p>
<p>Flying above the remaining Fallen that tried to desperately fling themselves out of Indrel’s aim, he started pouring long, flaring swings down at them, his resolution growing stronger as he watched their bodies catch on fire like dry branches.</p>
<p>But soon the physical strain began to take its toll, and that was the reason why the last Captain standing had the chance to catch him off guard. </p>
<p>A piercing shot, and Indrel immediately fell down on the ground. Stayed there until the end of the battle, too exhausted to get back to his feet, now. Especially since his side hurt like a motherfucker and was bleeding copiously. </p>
<p>It didn’t take long for an unnatural silence to roll down the dale. </p>
<p>Although his disoriented state, he heard hurried footsteps approaching at some point, and then the hunter was kneeling next to him. </p>
<p>"What the fuck were you thinking, you floating dumbass?!" the exo shouted as he gripped Indrel by his chest armor lapels, pulling him up and closer to his fuming face. His voice sounding more concerned than infuriated, though. </p>
<p>"Do you wish death or something, you reckless fuc-". </p>
<p>Despite the angered hunter looming over him, the awoken just blushed furiously for the sudden vicinity and blurted out "Fancy a drink?", before he could stop his stupid tongue.</p>
<p>It wasn’t his fault that his brain stopped functioning in that exact moment. Between the hit that made his sight wobble and the rush of Light coming from the exo, he was struggling to keep his thoughts in order. Not to mention how sexy said exo was, all pent up adrenaline and frustration that made his fuchsia orbitals gleam like a blaze while his biceps bulged under the pression of the grip he held on his lapels. He was only a man, after all. A man very much lying on the ground with a hot hunter almost straddling his thigh in that mess of situation.</p>
<p>Words dying at once in his throat, the exo stared at him, his fuchsia orbits owlishly blinking. Was that lad serious right now?! The warlock had been lucky he hadn't died in one of the most idiotic ways he had ever seen in his resurrected life, even though the Guardian got his Ghost as backup. Still, that detail didn’t change the fact that, in the face of a stupid, much avoidable death that awoken had the guts to ask him out.</p>
<p>
  <i>Wait.</i>
</p>
<p>"What-" he began to say, but then reality clicked in. He immediately let go of Indrel’s robes as if he was burnt, earning a pained sound in reply.</p>
<p>No matter how hard he landed on the floor, the warlock was grinning charmingly at him, or rather trying to, since the bullet was still digging in his flesh, making his motions stiff and his face a pained mask.</p>
<p>The exo couldn't help but notice how beautiful the awoken was, even as disarrayed as he was right now. Long pale lashes fluttering, eyes as bright as molten copper, white locks framing cerulean blue where dark dots slithered gracefully in rows, highlighted by sharp cheekbones and a prominent chin. Even though exos didn’t necessarily need to breathe to live, he inhaled shakily as a fan, or two, or three started whirring loudly in his chassis.</p>
<p>And Indrel took that moment to get a closer look at him, his hooded gaze wandering up and down the hunter’s turquoise faceplates that were wrung in a confused yet menacing frown. An expression that only managed to get the warlock even more frustrated than he was already, even the tips of his ears were aflame, now. In the worst timing ever, the thought of reaching out and feeling if the exo’s cheek was as smooth as it looked crossed his mind, but he managed to stop himself to act that impulsive desire by mere willpower, surprising himself for once.</p>
<p>If a weak groan left his lips, he really didn’t notice.</p>
<p>What he noticed, though, was how the exo warmed up suddenly at his question, evidently frustrated, too, and he bit his bottom lip. </p>
<p>"I- what?" the hunter stuttered eloquently, his back stiffening.</p>
<p>Indrel got up on one elbow to level him with a curious look. "A drink? You and me?" he then asked once again, lying back on the ground as he shot him a wily grin.</p>
<p>The longer that awkward silence stretched between them, the more the awoken’s determination wavered.</p>
<p>“N-nothing special.” he added at last when the hunter still offered him no response, choosing to emphasize his words with a hurried wave of his left hand just to immediately regret it. Because that movement made the wound sting, tearing his flesh apart further.</p>
<p>He must’ve made a face, since the exo suddenly slid closer to check his side and clearly didn’t like what he saw there.</p>
<p>Grunting his disapproval, he gathered his cloak and ripped a piece out nonetheless, before quickly slipping one arm behind Indrel’s back, then proceeded to wrap the makeshift bandage twice or thrice around his waist. In the end, he secured it with a tight knot, enough for the blood to stop flowing out at an alarming pace.</p>
<p>“It should last until you get back to your spaceship, Guardian.” the hunter drew out the last word despite his best efforts to hide his reluctance. Although his job was done and dusted, his body seemed unwilling to move yet, and he cursed mentally.</p>
<p>Another silence fell then, shattered by the occasional chirping of birds and Indrel’s ragged breaths. </p>
<p>“So, that drink?” the warlock insisted when he couldn’t handle it anymore, as he struggled to keep his eyes open. </p>
<p>He just couldn’t miss that opportunity, the strange, warm feeling from earlier buzzed in his chest and suddenly he wanted to keep talking with his knight in shining armor, wanted to see if he was capable of other expressions than different types of frowns. Wanted to see if he could make him smile, or laugh even. Wanted to feel his hard body beneath his as he moaned in pleasure.</p>
<p>A heavy sigh pulled him back from his thoughts, the nature of them way too obvious on his flushed face.</p>
<p>“Pretty please?” Indrel interceded the hunter before he could say anything as he slumped a bit forward, causing the hunter to visibly alarm. “I’m Indrel, by the way.” the warlock introduced himself at last, then collapsed from exhaustion, his body slacking as it hit the ground with a thumph. </p>
<p>The exo grumbled under his reverberating breath as he stared at the possibly fainted man for a few long seconds, before deciding to finally pick him up. That was the moment he realized how much taller the warlock was than him. Since the height gap between them was too wide, he let Indrel lean on him as he circled his chest with one arm to lend him support, keeping him from falling.</p>
<p>Eyes fixed on his handsome profile, the hunter shook his shoulders a bit to positionate Indrel’s limp body better. “Drem-7.” he muttered to the silence.</p>
<p>But he saw the corners of Indrel’s lips quirk up the tiniest bit.</p>
<p>As his cheeks heated up from the embarrassment of being caught staring so openly, he cleared his throat, glancing away from his face, then trasmatted both of them to his spaceship in a flash of bright blue.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Thanks for, you know. Collecting me?” Indrel chuckled nervously as he tried to relax against the sturd back of his chair. </p>
<p>That nightclub was as boring and mediocre as many others he’d grudgingly found himself in before, some neons sparked a bit of color here and there around the place, matching the bright drinks that he could spot on the round tables and the counter of the bar. Music was a soft thudding at the back of his mind, the rhythm nothing too invasive but catchy enough to spur people on to dance. </p>
<p>The exo studied him for a while before dignifying him with a response. “How do you even survive out there?” he then sighed in a flicker of yellow as he shook his head slowly. His posture was hunched as he sprawled comfortably on his seat with his cheek plastered against his palm and his elbow pinned on the dark wooden surface, the fingers of his free hand tapping along with the song that was currently playing from the speakers.</p>
<p>Indrel didn't know where the two actually were, and didn't want to bother Nox with such a frivolous detail, but the surroundings were nothing compared to the more sophisticated clubs he'd got used to hanging around between a mission and another, when his life gave him a well-deserved break. That place looked like a weird mixture of old-fashioned and modern style, and the clientele wandered quietly, some with a glass filled with alcohol to the brim, others danced half-heartedly, whispering into each other's ears. Nobody looked like a looming threat or had tried to start a brawl. Not yet, at least. And he hoped the situation would've stayed that way because he didn't want anything to distract him from the hunter who sat at the opposite side of the table, right now. </p>
<p>“Don’t underestimate me, mate. I’ve been doing just fine before you came and did your hunter thing.” Indrel emphasized the accusation with a grimace, even though he was just teasing. He couldn’t deny that what pushed him to ask the exo out were his excellent combat skills, he'd been left genuinely surprised by how agile and wild he looked as he beat enemy after enemy with his Spectral Blades. </p>
<p>Drem-7’s eyes widened incredulously at that assumption. “Oh, really, now?” a humorless laugh left his metallic lips, his tone mocking. </p>
<p>“Yeah.” the awoken cocked one fine eyebrow as he lifted his glass and took a long sip of alcohol. </p>
<p>“You literally blew my cover up.” the exo shot him an annoyed look, bitterness tinted his voice as he recalled the events that led him to his current situation. He still couldn’t believe it’d just taken a smartass warlock to ruin hours of stakeout within a handful of minutes.</p>
<p>Indrel rolled his eyes as he heaved out an exaggerated huff. “You weren’t hidden so well anyway.” he shrugged coolly, causing the hunter to squint at him, gravely offended.</p>
<p>“But... thanks for patching me up.” the awoken muttered then against the lid of his glass, his cheeks flushing a purplish shade now as his gaze strayed from the hunter to a blank spot behind his head. </p>
<p>Drem-7 felt something whirring inside his chassis. May it be his heart that was playing tricks on him, but something softened in Indrel’s features as he spoke, and his circuits froze for a moment upon that notion. </p>
<p>“D-don’t mention it.” he waved it off like it was nothing, but suddenly he found the dark liquid in his glass more interesting, somehow, than the awoken’s bright orange hues, his current complexion just highlighting them. “Just a scratch, eh?" he diminished his prompt intervention gesturing blindly to Indrel with his glass. </p>
<p>Luckily for the warlock, the bullet hadn’t reached any vital organs. That wouldn’t have been a peaceful death, for sure. Drem-7 was accustomed to deal with that kind of sutures, not on himself since his body required other types of maintenances, but on his fellow soldiers back at the camp.</p>
<p>Indrel just nodded his head, his gaze slowly drifting back to search for the exo's. And they met, again. </p>
<p>"I bet you've seen worse in your job." Drem-7 reckoned before taking a sip of whiskey, relishing the cold feeling it spreaded throughout his body, relieving the tension that clenched his chest since meeting with the awoken. </p>
<p>The latter considered that affirmation, and clicked his tongue. "I wouldn't bet much if I were you. You could lose your pants." the warlock warned, hiding an amused smirk behind his drink. </p>
<p>The hunter offered a dull grunt at that smooth... threat? Subtle avance? A bit of both?</p>
<p>“Unfortunately, I haven’t seen much of your ship.” Indrel commented after a brief pause, that smirk hadn’t faded from his lips, it grew indeed into a proper malicious grin, now. "What a shame." he sighed dramatically, feigning interest in the surroundings as he drank and waited for a reaction.</p>
<p>Regretfully, he’d been too groggy from the concussion and the loss of blood to catch details or, more importantly, take advantage of the moment to make their new acquaintance more… intimate. </p>
<p>Drem-7 swallowed another, larger gulp of whisky, out of nervousness for the implication behind those words more than actual thirst. He huffed as he shifted on his chair, then glanced at the warlock inquisitively. “Why would you?” he asked in a fanning breath.</p>
<p>A low giggle followed, and Indrel was staring at the exo once again with renewed intent. He put down the glass, then set both elbows on the table before placing his chin on intertwined hands. “Why wouldn’t I?” he echoed the question as he leaned forward, his eyes challenging now. </p>
<p>“Are you proposing me something?” the hunter drawled out wirily. Suddenly, he felt his faceplates heating up again as a foreign yet familiar sensation surged through his wires, leaving him giddy. He couldn’t deny that the warlock was gorgeous, but...</p>
<p>“Mayhaps.”.</p>
<p>The awoken’s eyes lingered a bit on Drem-7’s mouth before locking again with his. </p>
<p>“If you want to.” Indrel whispered in the air between them, and gnawed his lower lip as he noticed the exo tensing up and gulping loudly, the sound coarse through his voice speaker. His face felt hot, and not because of the Solar energy spiraling in his veins. But the warlock’s Light surely tingled, itched even, and he let his guard down enough for it to reach out for the exo’s. And he had felt it when they met, knew that Drem-7 felt it, too.</p>
<p>The hunter was about to decline that offer, but the words caught in his throat when the two energies collided, brushed against each other. His luminous optics went wide as ever, before a shaky sigh slipped from his parted lips.  </p>
<p>“I’m sure you’ve got some interesting <i>rifles</i> in there.” Indrel snickered in an ungraceful snort, his nose wrinkling, and the exo found himself groaning in reply, but his guts quivered at that atrocious pun. </p>
<p>“Just the best.” Drem-7 heard his voice say anyway, although he knew too well where this conversation eventually would’ve ended. And if he was being honest, he wasn’t ready to go all the way into that dangerous territory. He could handle an harmless flirt and filthy innuendos, but he got the feeling Indrel had something more than that in mind, by the way he’d been staring at him since they got there, or even earlier. </p>
<p>“Sometimes it’s okay to blow some steam off. I could help you with that.” the warlock reasoned, sliding even closer forward and licking his lips deliberately slowly. Gloating over the way the exo tracked that movement with his keen orbitals. “Accept it as a sign of my gratitude.” he then openly declared as his right hand sneaked on the table, now, until it found Drem-7’s, forcing it to stop its fingers from drumming. </p>
<p>Indrel gave it a brief squeeze, just to affirm his intentions, his thumb then began brushing circles on the smooth steel as the images his mind had conjured while he laid on the ground flashed again before his eyes. He bit the inside of his cheek to stifle a shameless whine. </p>
<p>Something snapped in the exo’s body and a trilling noise started resounding in his hearing sensors as he tried very hard to not get lost in the trail of thoughts that statement elicited. </p>
<p>“I- uhm, I don’t…” Drem-7 stammered out, before shaking vehemently his head to get a grip. “I can’t.” he sighed, snapping his head to the side in order to not watch the inevitable disappointment on the awoken’s face.</p>
<p>Indrel’s eyes widened the tiniest bit at that reply, then he let out a small, surprised “<i>Oh</i>.”.</p>
<p>A pregnant silence wrapped them up afterwards.</p>
<p>No man ever rejected him before, it usually went the other way around. It was the warlock who refused men’s unwelcome advances, and that shift of events left him stunned for a second.</p>
<p>As the hunter was starting to think he had ruined the night completely, he turned his head in time to see the warlock smirk at him, a smirk that showed the dimples adorning his cheeks. </p>
<p>“I have to go back and, you know, report the mission success, whatever.” Indrel explained with more gesturing than necessary, feeling his cheeks blush once again. “So, don’t worry.” he cleared his throat, before shooting him a wider, toothy smile. Suddenly, he didn’t want the exo to get the wrong idea about him. He wasn’t an insensitive jerk and wouldn’t have disrespected Drem-7’s boundaries just because his sex drive.</p>
<p>A wave of relief washed over Drem-7 upon hearing the sincerity in the Guardian’s voice. But he couldn’t help himself and be a prick nonetheless. “Diligent, huh. " he just commented and couldn't hide his grimace, the cream piece on his forehead twisting in a way that resembled an arched eyebrow.</p>
<p>The awoken laughed wholeheartedly. “What can I say…” he left the sentence hanging as he shrugged a shoulder nonchalantly. </p>
<p>The exo chuckled in a static as his fuchsia, gleaming eyes ranked up and down that very much interesting lad. He was surely grateful for Indrel’s comprehension, other people hadn’t been so kind to his refusals in the past. Although he couldn’t deny he felt some sort of connection between him and the awoken, his fears still hounded him to present and he wasn’t able to shut down, once and for all, their echoes that whispered lies to his mind. It wasn’t like he was against a hot night of sex, quite the opposite, but that involved a level of trust and confidence that he’d been slowly regaining, despite his traumas. However, that display of empathy played in the warlock’s favor, even if he didn’t know Drem-7’s situation, and the exo would’ve remembered it.</p>
<p>Once that awkward moment passed, Indrel brought the conversation back to a more formal level, asking basic informations such as what Drem-7 had planned to do in the Cosmodrome and what he did for a living. The exo stayed vague on the details, but told him about the alliance of people outside the Last City’s Vanguard he’d been working for ages by now and how he’d been about to clean the area of Fallen’s treat all alone before the awoken got involved.</p>
<p>In the end, Drem-7 finished his whiskey in a shot and called it a night, then stood up from his seat only after the warlock drank all his drink, too. He knew manners.</p>
<p>They worked their way through small crowds of dancing and chattering people to reach the bar. </p>
<p>Elbows on the counter and a charming grin tugging at his lips, Indrel leaned forward to get the barman’s attention, winking at him when the human spotted them.</p>
<p>“Was it you who made our drinks? Because mine was amazing.” he said, his tone as saccharine. “And I’m sure my partner’s here was amazing, too.” he added just to see at the corner of his eye the hunter fumble with his device for a moment. </p>
<p>Sometimes, his witty tongue earned him discounts and he hoped it would’ve helped in that situation. Not that he was broke, but the more lumens he managed to save, the better for his finances.</p>
<p>Blushing, the barman just let out a high pitched giggle at the compliment, before focusing on calculating the due amount. Suddenly, he blinked as if incredulous as he stared at the cash register.</p>
<p>“It says you’ve already paid.” the guy stated and the warlock whipped his head in Drem-7’s direction.</p>
<p>That was the second time the exo left him stunned within a few hours and he didn’t know what to do with the feelings that started swirling in his chest upon that realization. </p>
<p>The barman’s gaze bounced between Indrel and Drem-7. “Ehm- Have a safe return and goodnight, then!” he bid them goodbye after a brief pause, while Indrel was still positively confused by the hunter’s unexpected gesture. </p>
<p>After reciprocating the sentiment, they exited the nightclub in silence. Drem-7’s movements were strangely stiff as he walked outside the main door, and Indrel heaved a sad sigh. And here he thought they’d made progress in the last half-hour.</p>
<p>They stopped a couple of feet beyond the entrance and stood there for a while until Indrel, of course, broke the unbearable stillness. </p>
<p>“Thanks for the drink, you shouldn’t have.” the warlock spoke in a sincere tone, looking at Drem-7 with a small smile as a purple shade spreaded across his cheeks. </p>
<p>The hunter gave him a short nod of his head. “No problem, lad.” he assured him as he put his fisted hands in the pockets of his jacket.</p>
<p>“C-Can we... stay in touch?” Indrel asked then, moving closer to him, and noticed how the words peaked the exo’s interest, his head tilted to the side as he wore an amused expression. “I had a great time, tonight with you. I-I think you’re worth knowing and- uhm...” he scratched the back of his head, the heat now running down his neck. “I’d like to drink another time, with you. Like. Hang out? Again. And not only drink. Ehm, eat too. And, well-” he was aware he began rambling like usually did when he was nervous, and in that moment he was nervous about stepping away from the exo and never seeing him again. Nervous about not hearing his laugh or catching the way his eyes gleam under the light of the night sky. </p>
<p>Drem-7 suppressed a delighted grunt at his enthusiasm, before deciding to take pity on him. “It’s been nice, yeah. And I’d like to do it again.” he confessed in a reverberating breath. The awoken was the first to straightforwardly ask him out and now acted so shy. He found that adorable, and quickly stuffed that thought away in the back of his subconscious. </p>
<p>“When you’re not busy stealing enemies from innocent warlocks?” Indrel couldn’t help himself and cocked his eyebrow at him with malice. </p>
<p>Drem-7’s orbitals flashed off for a second, as if gathering all his self-control to not to burst into laughter, before turning on again and settling on the awoken’s flushed face. “Watch your mouth, young boy.” he reprimanded him, his lower faceplates shuffling in a teasing smirk. </p>
<p>Swallowing a whimper, Indrel transmatted his device in one hand and started typing on the display, before handing it to the exo who took it and filled the missing data with his number. </p>
<p>“See you soon, then?” the awoken asked as hope filled his voice. </p>
<p>The hunter studied him from head to toe with a thoughtful look, leaving him hanging for a hot minute. </p>
<p>And Indrel immediately thought he messed up, sounding so eager, as though he hadn’t been so eager to take the exo to his private chambers just a couple of hours before. The purple only increased on his heated face, his chest seizing up while his stomach clenched awfully as he waited. </p>
<p>But then, the hunter stepped right in front of him, stood on his tiptoes and brushed the back of his fingers against his cheekbone. “See you soon, pretty flower.” he whispered in a low voice, the words almost lost in the chilly breeze that howled silently around them.</p>
<p>Indrel sucked in a breath, speechless. That caress, so gentle on his skin, felt like a kiss, like a promise, like a mark.</p>
<p>And just with that, Drem-7 dissolved in a blink of bright blue. </p>
<p>The warlock didn’t know how long he stared at the space the exo left empty. A soft swoosh next to his ear was what shook him back to reality. </p>
<p>“Is everything alright?” Nox inquired, eyeing him carefully. </p>
<p>Indrel cleared his throat and inhaled deeply. “I think so.” he replied as a tiny, bashful smile danced on his lips. “Let’s get back to our spaceship.” he decided and poked playfully with his index at the Ghost’s shell.</p>
<p>“Roger-rogey.” Nox beeped gleefully, then swayed before his face, his orbit half-lidded. “And you’re gonna tell me everything about tonight.” his tone met no arguments.</p>
<p> A shaky chuckle left the awoken’s chest, but he nodded nonetheless. </p>
<p>Maybe talking with his Ghost would’ve helped him understand what was happening exactly to his heart that never stopped thrumming since Drem-7 touched him. </p>
<p>What an interesting day that had been.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Kudos and comments are very appreciated.<br/>Find me as <a href="http://theoldgaylion.tumblr.com/">theoldgaylion</a> on Tumblr.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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